MARY'S DE FORE (ST.)

MARY'S DE FORE (ST.), or BEATAE MARIAE DE FORE, a parish, in the barony of DEMIFORE, county of WESTMEATH, and province of LEINSTER, 4 miles (E.) from Castlepollard, on the road to Kells; containing 1217 inhabitants. It comprises 1624 ½ statute acres of good land, mostly under tillage, though there is much bog: limestone is found here. On the north it is in part separated from Meath by Lough Bawn, which, though pent up by high hills, is of considerable breadth; it is remarkable for having most water in summer; no stream emerges from it, and it abounds with large pike and eels. On the opposite side the parish reaches to Lough Lene, and the small Lough-a-Deel. Here is Glenidan, the residence of — Blandford, Esq. It is a curacy, in the diocese of Meath, forming part of the union of Rathgraff: the rectory is entirely appropriate to the vicars choral of Christ-Church, Dublin, to whom the tithes, amounting to £159.14.7., are wholly payable.

In the R. C. divisions it forms part of the union or district of Fore. There is a school at Glenidan, and another at Camberstown, the former aided by a bequest of the late Colonel Monk; in these schools 98 boys and 50 girls are taught. Ruins of the mansion of Carrick exist; and there are several large raths in different parts of the parish.